Rains cool Delhi, Yamuna flows above danger mark (Lead)

New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) The capital experienced a pleasant evening Sunday as the temperature dipped three notches below the average following rains during the day that led to traffic jams and flooding in low-lying areas. The Yamuna continued to flow above the danger mark. “Most of the 150 ground floor houses in my locality have been flooded due to heavy rains this morning. In most ground floor homes there is at least 12 inches deep water,” said Sanjiv Kataria, a resident of Vasant Kunj.

Traffic movement was hit as roads went under water in areas including Ashram crossing, Mehrauli-Badarpur Road and Mathura Road.

The met office said the maximum temperature dipped three notches below the average at 31.7 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature remained normal at 25.8 degrees Celsius Sunday.

The city received 2.1 mm rainfall from Sunday 8.15 a.m. to 5.15 p.m. According to a Met department official, the rainfall recorded in the city this month is 105 percent above the average.

More rains are expected Monday with the weatherman predicting “generally cloudy sky, one or two spells of drizzle and heavy rains in few pockets of the city”.

According to an official from the Irrigation and Flood Control Department with continuous rains in the last couple of days, the Yamuna is flowing above the danger mark, posing a threat to the low-lying neighbourhoods along the river.

People were evacuated from low-lying areas along the Yamuna, the official said.

“The Yamuna is flowing at 205.08 metre which is above the danger mark of 204.83 metre,” said the official.

The river had crossed the danger mark late Friday night.

On Sunday, the humidity levels were on the higher side with the maximum recorded at 98 percent and the minimum at 79 percent.

The city has received 645.1 mm of rainfall this monsoon, 32 percent more than the average.